Regenerating ion exchange particles

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR REGENERATING A BED OF POROUS SYNTHETIC ION EXCHANGE PARTICLES WITH A LIQUID PHASE POLAR REGENERANT WITHOUT CHEMICAL ALTERATION OF THE REGENERANT AFTER USED OF SAID PARTICULES FOR EXHAUSTING A HYDROCARBON OIL OF AN ACIDICALLY ORGANIC SUBSTANCE CONTAINED THERIN, SAID ION EXCHANGE PARTICLES BEING SUSCEPTIBLE TO SUBSTANTIAL WELLING AND ATTENDANT FRIATION WHEN CONTACTED WITH THE POLAR REGERANT AFTER CONTACT WITH SAID HYDROCARBON OIL, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR REDUCING FRIATION OF SAID ION EXCHANGE PARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES: DRAINING THE BED OF THE HYDROCARBON OIL, FLOODING THE BED WITH A NONPOLAR LIQUID HAVING VISCOSITY NOT OBOVE ABOUT 1.0 CENTI POISED AT 70*., SAID NONPOLAR LIQUID BEING A LOWER ALKANE OF 4-8 CARBON ATOMS; THEN INTRODUCING UPFLOW INTO THE FLOODED BED AT LEAST ONE VOLUME OF SAID POLAR REGENERANT PER VOLUME OF BED AT A RATE IN EXCESS OF ONE GALLON PER MINUTE PER SQUARE FOOT OF BED CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AND SUFFICIENTLY HIGH FOR IMPARTING FREE RANDOM MOTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL ION EXCHANGE PARTICLES OF SAID BED.